The Continental UltraContact is a summer touring tyre that prioritises comfort, low noise and long tread life. Dry grip is good, but aquaplaning resistance was poor in one independent test and some owners find the steering vague.
The UltraContact is a quiet, comfortable summer touring tyre, with both qualities frequently praised by owners. Dry grip is another consistent positive, and in its one independent test it combined good dry-road balance with short braking distances. Tread life also looks promising: longer-term owners generally rate it well, while the test estimated a life of 55,900 km. Low fuel consumption was another positive in the test.
Wet performance is less clear-cut. Most owners who discuss wet grip are positive, and the test found safe handling, but overall wet performance was only satisfactory. Aquaplaning was the main concern, with the tyre ranking 46th out of 50 in both straight and curved tests, although some owners praise its performance in standing water. Six of 30 owners also criticise the soft sidewalls and six find the steering vague, whereas the tester found the steering feedback satisfactory. It suits drivers who want a comfortable, long-lasting touring tyre, but those who regularly encounter deep standing water or prefer a sharper steering feel should consider its limitations.
The quick answer
Owners say81%from 31 owner reviews86% would buy againRead the reviews
Strengths & weaknessesValue, DryWetRelative to its rivals across every test we hold
Built from every independent test result and vetted owner review we hold for this tyre - the evidence is all further down the page. Data updated October 2026.
Driving safety: The Continental UltraContact is rated as just satisfactory when it comes to driving safety. The UltraContact offers the driver satisfactory feedback on the steering wheel on a dry road, but is still safe at the limit. Thanks to its short braking distance, it can still secure a good overall rating on dry roads. On wet roads, however, the UltraContact does not get more than a satisfactory rating. Although it scores in the braking distance measurements and also in handling with good grip and safe driving characteristics, it falters when it comes to aquaplaning. In the case of longitudinal aquaplaning, he does not get more than a satisfactory result, and in the case of transverse aquaplaning, even more than an adequate result. Environmental balance: In the environmental balance, the UltraContact secures one of the best results in the test. His predicted mileage is classified as very good, and he only just misses a very good rating for wear. The tire also scores with its low weight and low fuel consumption.
Winner: Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance 2
Every independent test of the Continental UltraContact, newest first
How good is the Continental UltraContact in the wet?
Across the 1 wet-braking test it has featured in, the Continental UltraContact stops 0.3% longer than premium rivals, 2% shorter than mid-range rivals and 12.2% shorter than budget rivals. It has a Tyre Reviews wet score of 48/100, and owners rate it 8.3/10 in the wet from 31 reviews.
How good is the Continental UltraContact in the dry?
Across the 1 dry-braking test it has featured in, the Continental UltraContact stops 0.3% longer than premium rivals, 3.8% shorter than mid-range rivals and 7% shorter than budget rivals. It has a Tyre Reviews dry score of 88/100, and owners rate it 8.6/10 in the dry from 31 reviews.
How many miles does the Continental UltraContact last?
Based on test and owner data, the Continental UltraContact is expected to last around 32,678 miles (52,590 km).
What do owners say about the Continental UltraContact?
Across 31 owner ratings the Continental UltraContact averages 81%. Owners rate Dry Grip highest at 8.6 out of 10 and Road Feedback lowest at 7.4. 12 of those reviews come from owners past 10,000 miles. 83% of owners score it 70% or better.
What is the Continental UltraContact's EU tyre label rating?
Across its range, the Continental UltraContact most commonly carries EU label ratings of B for fuel efficiency, A for wet grip and 69 dB for noise.
More questions about the Continental UltraContact(7)
How comfortable and quiet are the Continental UltraContact?
Owners rate the Continental UltraContact 8.6 out of 10 for comfort and noise across 30 reviews.
How well do the Continental UltraContact wear, according to owners?
Owners rate the Continental UltraContact 8.3 out of 10 for wear across 30 reviews. 12 of those reviews come from owners past 10,000 miles, and the typical review covers 5,500 miles.
Would owners buy the Continental UltraContact again?
86% of owners say they would buy the Continental UltraContact again, based on the 28 owner reviews that answered the question. 36% of them gave it the highest possible answer.
What do owners say about the Continental UltraContact's road noise?
Of the 30 owner reviews analysed for the Continental UltraContact, 17 mention road noise: 15 praise it (quiet) and 2 criticise it (noisy). One owner wrote: "Quiet, very good comfort on the road compared to the Bridgestone Turanza T 005". Read those reviews
What do owners say about the Continental UltraContact's ride comfort?
Of the 30 owner reviews analysed for the Continental UltraContact, 14 mention ride comfort: 13 praise it (comfortable ride) and 1 criticise it (harsh ride). One owner wrote: "Quiet, very good comfort on the road compared to the Bridgestone Turanza T 005". Read those reviews
What do owners say about the Continental UltraContact's dry grip?
Of the 30 owner reviews analysed for the Continental UltraContact, 13 mention dry grip: 12 praise it (strong dry grip) and 1 criticise it (limited dry grip). One owner wrote: "I was really surprised how well the grip is on the dry and wet!". Read those reviews
What sizes does the Continental UltraContact come in?
The Continental UltraContact is available in 153 sizes, ranging from 155-275/35-80 R14-20.
Questions and Answers for the Continental UltraContact
Is the tread pattern as same as the UC6 in Asian Market?
April 29, 2024
The ultra contact and UC6 is totally different ( only the names are similar) different pattern and compound.
Show all questions(3)
I’m looking for a replacement on my Goodyear EG Performance 2 set. I got a 2016 BMW 320d. I’m looking for a premium touring tyre, I really care about safety… Show moreI’m looking for a replacement on my Goodyear EG Performance 2 set. I got a 2016 BMW 320d. I’m looking for a premium touring tyre, I really care about safety, softness of the shoulder and quietness. Could the new Conti UltraContact be the best choice? Show less
December 27, 2023
I haven't tested the UC range yet, so you'll have to go by the test data on the site.
If you really want softness an ultra low rolling resistance tyre might be the better option such as the EcoContact 6.
Hi, after this winter I will need new summer tyres for my Hyundai Scoupe - 185/60 R14. Now I have Goodyear Efficient Grip Performance but the new Goodyear Efficient… Show moreHi, after this winter I will need new summer tyres for my Hyundai Scoupe - 185/60 R14. Now I have Goodyear Efficient Grip Performance but the new Goodyear Efficient Grip Performance 2 are not awailible in my size so, what would you recoment ?
1) Continental UltraContact
2) Same as I have now - Goodyear Efficient Grip Performance
3) Someting else - like Bridgestone turanza T005 or Continental ecocontact 6?
Thank you :) Show less
October 9, 2023
I always like trying something new and the ultracontact performed well in this test!
Owners most often praise the Continental UltraContact for low road noise and a comfortable ride, with dry grip also rated highly. Wet grip generally earns praise too, although a few owners are less satisfied. Longer-term reviewers often report good tread life, but most reviews describe the tyre when new. Around one in five owners find the sidewall too soft, and a similar number criticise the steering feel as vague or unresponsive. Overall, 25 of 30 reviews are positive, with an average score of 79%.
What owners mention most counted across 30 reviews
Tap one to read only the reviews that mention it.
Owner ratings averaged from 31 ratings
Owner score81%
Dry Grip86%
Comfort86%
Wear83%
Wet Grip83%
Handling76%
Road Feedback74%
Featured reviews
Most helpful 83%
“Hello from Thailand, I mostly drive Continental UC6 on motorway with the surface quality as average or below. I am not an always sporty driver just when it is the time. I list from my most impressive: Compared to the...”
“The worst tires i ever bought. Just after 7 months of normal use one of them had a tearing. The continental in Greece refused to replace!!!!So I paid 160 euros to replace it. DO NOT BUY THESE GARBAGE, as you will never...”
“First and foremost, the tyre is not under any circumstances unpredictable. It is a well made, predictable tyre with quite "soft" sidewalls, however it makes the car feel 'push-y' and understeer-y. As far as wet...”
The car had Bridgestones summer tyres from the factory, that I changed after a few months, due to the mediocre motricity(traction) when starting in slippery tarmac. NO problem at all with the Contis on this issue, plus they are a bit quieter. They have soft walls and the Bridgestones suit it a little better in the corners, the car leans less. It is not a sporty tyre, the Bridgestones were sportier. Still, if their price does not become exorbitant, I would buy them again due to their perfect motricity on wet roads and quiet performance.
For Family driving, very good tyre. Noise is very low like when they were new. Before I had michelins and after 25000, the noise was nearly unbearable. Will buy again.
Check out how the BEST all seasons tyres perform against premium summer and winter tyres!
81%
Member
Initial Impressions
Mazda
195/65 R15
1,000 miles
Had the OE Bridgestone ecopia ep150 on a 2021 mazda 2, after 65k km they were due for a change. The change in comfort and ride quality were the main, most obvious immediate changes, although I also sized up from 185/65. Dry grip in both loose surfaces and high speed also improved, albeit maybe having a tad less direct steering input feeling, a trade off expected from the better ride quality, although once loaded mid corner it provides a safer more planted feeling. Haven't had the chance to test it that much on wet surfaces but at least it doesn't brake traction in a very sharp very slow corner I use everyday day to get home in which the Bridgestones did when wet. Overall very happy with them.
Which tyres do you drive?
Researching the Continental UltraContact? Rate the tyres you actually drive - and help the next buyer choose.
I drove the Ultra Contact for 4 summer seasons as follows:
Season 1 (April 13-November 5, 2022): 17,643 km (10,963 miles)
Season 2 (April 15-November 11, 2023): 12,596 km (7,827 miles)
Season 3 (April 8-November 9, 2024): 8,362 km (5,196 miles)
Season 4 (April 19-November 18, 2025): 11,733 km (7,290 miles)
TOTAL: 50334 km (31276 miles).
I previously had Uniroyal Rainexpert 3 which were great, lasted 38819 km (24121 miles) in 3 seasons.
CONTINENTAL Ultra Contact: This set of mine was Made in Portugal. It's not less quality if it doesn't say Made in Germany. People often confuse Ultra Contact with UC6, UC7 and NXT. The dimension is 195 65 R15 H mounted on a GOLF MK 5, 1.9 TDI, 105 hp, manual transmission, 2004. production.
WET - excellent aquaplaning, short stopping distance, slightly weaker lateral grip in the wet.
DRY - excellent dry handling, braking and cornering.
NOISE - quiet and comfortable to drive.
WEAR - After driving 50,334 km (31,276 miles), of which 12,520 km (7,779 miles) were driven only on the highway at a speed in the range of 140 - 170 kph (87-105 mph), which is almost 25% of the total mileage. After 4 seasons, the smallest profile depth was 3.9 mm. When we consider the fact that the profile depth of the new UltraContact comes with a depth of 7.5 mm, this is an outstanding result when it comes to wear. The road infrastructure in the Western Balkan countries is of much lower quality than in the rest of Europe. In the summer months of June, July and August, air temperatures in the shade often exceed 40°C (104°F). Road surface temperatures often exceed 60°C (140°F).
CONCLUSION:
The Continental UltraContact is built for very high mileage, balanced on both dry and wet surfaces. The only downside is a small defect on wet roads when it comes to lateral grip. In my opinion, this Continental's model is one of the best in the last 10 years. I will definitely buy it again because it is worth every penny.
I bought these tyres to replace an old set of Dunlops that were mounted when I bought the wheels these Ultracontacts are now mounted to. As my car only has 14 inch wheels, it's not easy to find tyres that aren't budget offerings (I live in Europe), but these were one of the few premium tyres I could get in the correct size. I drove on the (albeit old and lightly worn) Dunlops for about 2 months before replacing and the difference was immediately noticeable!
These tyres are definitely way more than my almost 40 year old Mazda can handle, there are no issues with traction loss on the front wheels when powering out of tight corners in the dry (not a low bar to clear when the car has less than 75hp). They're a comfortable tyre for long distances, not very noisy and they absorb bumps fairly well, although I would subjectively rate the Hankook Kinergy's on my other car higher in comfort. Only in the wet do you start to notice the tyre struggle somewhat, but they always stay linear and predictable. I didn't have much issues when dealing with puddles at lower speeds as they are very predictable, but can struggle with aquaplaning when exceeding rural speeds.
After a little over 5000 miles in the past year I still haven't noticed any differences compared to when the tyres were brand-new and they have only lost a bit of tread depth. I'm pretty sure I'll get at least a good 25k miles or another few years out of them before having to replace them, but I'd be happy to buy them again when the time comes!
Very good tires, good grip on dry and wet roads. Quiet, very good comfort on the road compared to the Bridgestone Turanza T 005 I had which were quite noisier but in terms of grip the Bridgertons were equal.
First and foremost, the tyre is not under any circumstances unpredictable. It is a well made, predictable tyre with quite "soft" sidewalls, however it makes the car feel 'push-y' and understeer-y. As far as wet performance is conserned, i did not like it, there were quite some times when i hydroplaned (however this also might be due to my current aggresive suspension setup, so i won't attribute it 100% on the tyre). I would say is a very well made, all-around tyre and at its price range, is a perfect choice for some daily commute vehicles.
UltraContact has excellent comfort and below average noise level. The rolling resistance is great, so it has a fuel-saving character. It has a long-life as the opposite of former Continental products.
Softly designed sidewall and sholder provides comfort but they causes some disadvantages about handling. While hard cornering in the limits, the tyre tends to roll onto its sidewall. This situation causes the handling reduction and completely loss of steering feedback. Even on daily drive, it has a numb steering feeling.
It has great wet and dry braking performance. Its aquaplanning performance is good as well.
Overall an excellent tire which will last up to 50.000 KM.
BUT I found them very soft. maybe too soft. I lost the grippy responsive feel of the steering wheel. if your driving style is sporty don't buy them, but if you drive mostly city and in average speeds these are very good tires.
I'm planning to move them to the rear axle and put sportier tires in the front. Probably the Kumho Ecsta HS52 (value for money and sportier) since continental PremiumContact 7 are nit available in 185/55r16
Hello from Thailand, I mostly drive Continental UC6 on motorway with the surface quality as average or below. I am not an always sporty driver just when it is the time. I list from my most impressive:
Compared to the Previous tires as dunlop ec300+, yokohama E70, michelin primacy4
1. Wet grip : in heavy rain I push it faster than other traffic and confident in long puddles 70-80 km/hr
2. Value : my priority is wet road performance b/c it is the most uncontrollable factor when you are on puddles and heavy brake. With half budget from primacy4, it is very preferable other great spec below as compliments in my priority list.
3. Durability with consistent tire feature : I rate it 2nd as primacy4 the best by noise and wear.
4. Comfort : I would say it will be a smooth drive until it end of life at 31,000 miles(I will have reached the safety limit on 31,000 mi / 2 years almost the same time by Sep’25). Previously, I did expect this value on the Michelin only.
5. Handling : when heavily make a lane change(turn and straight again in 1 sec), it feedbacks unstable in tires. The reason I guess due to it soft sidewall which is softer than primacy4.
To summarize, It is acceptable for me with it handling compensating the comfort. With others spec maintained only more stiff in handling, I would accept it as good in all performance. Until now, I have still fine tuned for the tire. Next one I will try Giti Control P90.
PS. Few words for the other tires: Yokohama (decibel) E70 ‘bad wet grip’ ‘not quiet as expect’ , Dunlop Enasave EC300+ ‘all average with stiffer sidewall as I want for my Conti UC6’ , Michelin Primacy 4 ‘all good with less confident on wet than Conti UC6’ ‘pricy tire’
Was looking for new rubber for my e36 318i, CC7 or UC7 few bucks more, so UC7 it is.
I was really surprised how well the grip is on the dry and wet!
I cant wheel spin on dry with a 110hp manual car using this UC7 and wet grip were almost perfect for Malaysia's road!
At these price 53usd/pc, im satisfied and a happy spirited driver...
